Anxiety

When someone suffers from any type of anxiety it can be one of the most upsetting disorders for both the sufferer and their friends or family. Having an anxiety disorder is going to totally take over one’s life and will often mean a sufferer will become very reclusive and will avoid going outside or mixing with their friends or family.

Help is of course available and there are a range of drugs now on the open market that can and will control and manage the many different types of anxiety disorders, and below we have an overview of some of the most recognised drugs on the market, please keep on reading to find out more in regards to how these drugs can and will help you overcome any type of anxiety disorder.

Drugs Commonly used for Treating Anxiety Disorders

There are quite a number of well known and very successful drugs which can be used for controlling and managing the effects of anxiety based disorders, and below you will find an overview of each to these readily available and often prescribed drugs.

Should you require a more in-depth review of any of them or wish to view our questions and answers guides on any of them then please follow the respective link as by doing so we will present to you out informative reviews on any or all of them.

Alprazolam – Alprazolam also goes by its trade name of Xanax and has been found to be very successful in treating a large range of anxiety disorders. Having been recognised and now approved by many different countries these drugs are readily available and have very high levels of success.

Ativan – Another drug which is used for treating many known anxiety disorders is Lorazepam or Ativan as it is known, there are some side effects and whilst very successful drugs in their own right please do be aware of those side effects as these drugs are not compatible with everyone, but when compatible they can and do work very quickly in controlling anxiety disorders and as such are very popular drugs.

Buspar – Both Buspar and Buspirone as this drug is also known have been found to offer a solution to social anxiety based disorders and in such a way that once a user stops taking these drugs they are highly unlikely if at all going to suffer from any type of withdrawal symptoms, and as such unlike similar acting drugs there is virtually no chance of becoming addicted to them.

Klonopin – Klonopin which is also known as Clonazepam is recognised as being one of the longest lasting drugs in the treatment of a range of anxiety disorders, and as such it is a commonly prescribed drug due to the unusually long time it will remain active in a user. Whilst there are side effects when taking these drugs they are fairly rare but please do checkout our review of these drugs if they are going to be of interest to you, and you are seeking a very long lasting drug to take when controlling and managing different anxiety based disorders.

Valium – The fastest acting drugs which you can take for managing any type of anxiety disorders are Diazepam and its trade named drug Valium. The very quick rate at which they take effect and start to work have made both Valium and Diazepam the most prescribed drugs for these disorders and as such you are likely to find that if you are looking for a drug to control the symptoms of anxiety disorders your Doctor may very well prescribe Valium to you.

Anxiety, the Causes, Symptoms and How to manage it

There are many causes of anxiety. Some far deeper routed than others, for example victims of sexual abuse, childhood abuse or neglect, victims of domestic violence, heavy, hard drug users, for example those that have taken copious amounts of alcohol, cocaine, ecstasy or any other ‘party drugs’ be they legal or not. It should be noted however, that the latter is more due to the chemicals in the brain being artificially altered, as oppose to the brain going into shock from the former causes.

Interestingly enough however, someone’s physical appearance can cause them to have anxiety issues. In the UK, a woman had breast augmentation surgery on the NHS to take her A Cup breasts up to a DD cup. The reason for this is that she claims to have been bullied and humiliated due to having very small breasts as a young woman. There are also strong links with Anxiety and the Transgender community, especially during the initial transition phase, where although the person undergoing therapy is dressed as their true self, what is under their clothes, is not who they truly feel they are.

Now, anyone that’s suffering from anxiety will normally also have another underlying condition, usually these are closely linked, but not related, such as PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). The symptoms are unfortunately so far and wide, it can be nearly impossible for someone to diagnose Anxiety, especially if this comes closely after the death of someone close, or in the case of abuse victims, the release of their tormentor from prison, or if they’ve slipped under the radar. However general symptoms of anxiety are a fear of a change of routine, a fear of certain places, a fear of open spaces and panic attacks which see the heart beat raise, profuse sweating, shaking and/or a feeling of your mind going blank, similar to that of a rabbit staring into headlights.

We have found a video on YouTube courtesy of Zoella providing some insight on dealing with Anxiety.

There are far more symptoms, but these are among the most common displayed symptoms.

Unfortunately, although there are pills and potions to help with Anxiety, there is no such thing as a quick fix, and although various drugs can and do help, there is only one way you can truly overcome anxiety, and that is through therapy, be you getting that through a specially trained therapist, a psychotherapist or even through a local self help group. The problem with anxiety, is it has a special talent of sneaking up on you when you least expect it, and this can have some truly crippling effects on the sufferer. Also, contrary to popular belief, Anxiety also isn’t like a Fear Spell from Dungeons and Dragons, where the effect only lasts 2 or 3 rounds, it can last for hours, days or even weeks after an attack for the sufferer to feel back at ease in themselves.

If you’re feeling anxiety creeping up, or even if you’re trying to prevent it, one of the best ways to combat it is through exercise, this can be doing press ups, sit ups, jogging on the spot or going for a bike ride. However, as anxiety isn’t exactly known for creeping up at convenient times, sometimes this may not be an ideal solution. When you know you’ll be in a public space, we recommend having a stress ball or something similar that can be easily fiddled with and also alleviate those feelings of increased stress levels. There are also breathing techniques you can use, and some therapists recommend aromatherapy and meditation, which have been known to have a high success rate.

There are also drugs that are available, and these come in all shapes, sizes strengths and of course names. However, these drugs are mind altering, similar to the effects of recreational drugs; these drugs enter the body, and alter the chemical balance to give feelings of serenity and calm.

Unfortunately, extreme caution needs to be taken, as these drugs enter the Reward Centre of the brain. For example Valium (Diazepam), nicknamed ‘Mother’s Little Helper’ in the 1960’s, was so widely prescribed to housewives that they were taking it for every minor disturbance, from a spilt cup of coffee to a broken egg yolk. This then led to tens of thousands of women becoming addicted to the very powerful tranquilizer.

That said there were others that were far more cautious, and took it only as and when it was truly needed, for example times of extreme grief. So if and when you do decide to take a drug that will help calm you, remember to always follow instructions, and even more importantly, if you fear you are becoming dependent on the drugs, speak to your doctor immediately, for they will be able to provide you with all the information you require.

One final foot note when you are taking any form of sedative, drinking is not permitted, for alcohol affects the brain differently and is a depressant, and as such, will have a counterproductive affect on most people, in others however, it will just make you violently sick.

If you have anxiety and you drink alcohol (or are an alcoholic with anxiety issues), take a good month or so to dry out, you should see you moods change and your anxiety lifts significantly. However, if you have dried out and are still having anxiety attacks, speak to your doctor about counselling and the plethora of other options available, including drugs, therapies, and all the precautions you need to take.